1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to techniques for enabling wireless clients for low-power operation when the clients require control messages from external sources for communication.
2. Related Art
A wireless network generally includes two or more devices (“wireless devices”) that communicate with each other over a wireless medium. A wireless local area network (WLAN) designed to operate according to IEEE 802.11 standard(s) is an example of a wireless network. Wireless devices (also termed wireless clients) of a wireless network may communicate with a wired network via an access point (AP). Wireless clients may be either mobile devices or be fixed (non-mobile). A wireless client (client) may transmit data to and receive data from other clients in the wireless network either directly or via the AP. A client may also transmit to and receive data from wireless devices outside the wireless network via the AP.
In addition to data (representing information of interest such as text files, images etc), a client may also receive other types of messages, such as control messages, from (or via) the AP of the wireless network. Control messages generally refer to messages that specify operational parameters that enable clients (and the AP, if present) to operate correctly or in a desired manner in the wireless network. Control messages may often be updated (and transmitted to the wireless clients) by the AP at appropriate time instances. Clients typically need to receive the updated control messages and perform corresponding actions specified or required by the control messages to ensure proper operation.
Clients are often operated in ‘power-save’ modes that permit reduction in power consumption. According to one example technique, a client may be powered-ON (and thus fully operational) only intermittently or periodically, while remaining in a power-OFF state in the remaining durations. One problem faced while operating in such power-save modes is that a client may be in a power-OFF state when control messages are transmitted by the AP. Not receiving one or more control messages may potentially disrupt normal operation (in powered-ON mode) of the client in the wireless network. One known technique used to address the problem noted above is to reduce the power-OFF durations of the client. Such an approach, however, may translate to a reduction in power savings in the client, and therefore may not desirable.
Several embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to enabling wireless clients for low-power operation when clients require control messages from external sources for communication.
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